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Five Craziest Finishes by Nick Diaz in the UFC
Nick Diaz is one of the prominent names in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The Stockton native has always entertained the fans by putting up great fights inside the octagon.
Diaz was a UFC star in his prime. He defeated many big names like Robbie Lawler and BJ Penn. With a record of (26-9), the Stockton native has been part of many exciting fights.
The (26-9) record holder has thirteen wins via knockout and eight via submissions under his name. The latter was on an amazing 11 fight win streak of his career before he lost against Carlos Condit.
Diaz was one of the best welterweight fighters in the promotion. However, after his last fight against Anderson Silva, the Stockton native hung his gloves.
He was on a six-year-long hiatus. However, Diaz is all set to return to the UFC now and will face Robbie Lawler in a rematch at UFC 266. Ahead of his much-awaited return to combat sports, here is a list of Nick Diaz’s best knockouts in the UFC.
Nick Diaz vs Robbie Lawler 1
After a successful victory in his debut and second match in the UFC, Nick Diaz was on a two-fight win streak when he faced one of the best welterweight fighters, Robbie Lawler. It was one of the most memorable fights in the promotion’s history.
In the welterweight bout against Lawler, Diaz showed outstanding skills and confidence. ‘Ruthless’ was known for his boxing skills. However, Diaz dominated the fight and knocked out Lawler in the second round of the fight with a strong right hand at UFC 47.
Excellent Comeback Against Josh Neer
LAS VEGAS, NV – JANUARY 31: Nick Diaz stands in the Octagon after his middleweight bout during the UFC 183 event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on January 31, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Apart from Diaz’s fight against Robbie Lawler, his bout with Josh Neer is also one of the most entertaining fights of Diaz’s career. The latter was on a three-fight skid when he faced Neer inside the octagon at UFC 62.
Both the fighters were well known for their cardio ability and punching power in the welterweight division. However, the Stockton native outclassed Neer with his boxing skill.
Both men threw hard punches at each other during the rounds. However, Neer couldn’t retaliate to Diaz’s takedown and fell victim to his Kimura. Neer lost the fight in the third round via submission.
Trilogy With Jeremy Jackson
The Stockton native made a stunning debut in the UFC against his rival, Jeremy Jackson, at UFC 44. Jackson defeated Diaz in their first meet in just 46 seconds in 2002.
However, tables turned in their rematch when Diaz defeated Jackson in the very first round of the fight. After both the fighters made their UFC debut, they squared off against each other in a trilogy fight.
Diaz started dominating the fight right after the first bell. He dragged Jackson to the mat most of the first round. However, the round ended with both men on their feet.
The second round of the fight also ended on the mat with both fighters exchanging grapples. In the third round of the fight, Diaz showed his Jiu-Jitsu skills and locked Jackson in an armbar. The latter tapped out and handed Diaz a stunning win in the trilogy fight.
Bouncing Back After His First Loss in UFC
The Stockton native faced his first loss in the UFC against Karo Parisyan at UFC 49. However, Diaz came back to the win column with style by defeating Drew Fickett.
Diaz faced Fickett in a gruesome scrap at UFC 51. The latter looked dominant during the fight. Halfway into the first round, Diaz said his most popular line “Whatcha gonna do now, b***h?” after he escaped Fickett’s neck hold. Diaz stopped Fickett with heavy ground and pound with just five seconds remaining in the first round.
Stockton Native vs Gleison Tibau
After his impressive comeback in the win column against Josh Neer, the Stockton native faced Gleison Tibau at UFC 65. It was the debut match of the Brazilian fighter.
Diaz completely dominated the fight with his heavy punches. It looked like Tibau had no chance of retaliating. However, the Brazilian fighter survived the first round of the fight.
The Stockton native again rained down his own punishment on Tibau right after the start of the second round. Diaz took Tibau to the mat, continued his vicious attack, forcing the referee to jump in and stop the fight. Diaz handed Tibau a brutal defeat in his debut UFC match.
What do you make out of Nick Diaz’s knockouts? Are you excited about Nick Diaz’s rematch against Robbie Lawler at UFC 266? Whom do you think will win the bout? Let us know in the comments section below.
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